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POPULAR FINAGHY MAN DIES IN BLAZE IN SPAIN
Andersonstown News Thursday 13th of June 2008
by Joe Diamond
A GRIEVING Orchardville mother has paid tribute to her son, who died in a tragic accident in Spain. 25-year-old Conor Anthony McCormick was found dead at his Marbella home after an accidental fire took hold on Saturday last.
Conor moved to Marbella three years ago with his girlfriend to start his own painting and decorating business. According to Spanish reports, Conor’s girlfriend raised the alarm after calling to the building and getting no answer.
Speaking to the Andersonstown News yesterday, Conor’s distraught mum, Joan, described the local man as a “brilliant son.
“He was a real people-person – a genuine nice guy.
“Nothing was too much trouble for him,” she added.
“Our door hasn’t stopped with his friends calling. Even people he met when he was in Spain have phoned the house, and they all seem to have thought very highly of him.
“The older neighbours keep saying what a good guy Conor was. It helps that so many people have taken the trouble to say nice things about him.
“He had just passed his driving test,” added Joan.
“He was very proud because he got it on his first go, and every time he came home he would give us lifts everywhere. He was just so helpful.”
Speaking about her talen
ted brother, Conor’s sister, Danielle, added: “He was a brilliant footballer and played for Celtic Boys and Cliftonville.
“He played for his school teams too – La Salle and St John the Baptist.
It seemed like he won another prize for football every year, and he played Gaelic for La Salle too,” she added.
“He would get up early on Saturday mornings to go and play football. He loved Celtic, he would watch the matches on the TV with his girlfriend and go over and watch them.
“He loved Belfast, but he loved Spain too,” added Joan.
“When he was over there he never stopped phoning to thank me for helping him to get started. When he was home he would have taken his granny out for a drink. He was very good – you wouldn’t expect a young fella to do things like that.
“He lived for football and his mates. He would come in for an hour after work to get his dinner and go straight back out again. He always ate his dinner and never complained about what it was, he was just no trouble.”
Paying tribute to her brother, Conor’s sister, Fiona, said: “He was brilliant at art, which is how he started doing painting and decorating. He used the painting to get a trade, and he had a great reputation here for it. Everyone always wanted him to paint their homes when he came home. He was back for two days and our friend asked him to paint her living room. He told her it would take him two weeks because it was so big, that’s how he was – always laughing and joking.
“He was very easy-going. He comes from a family of three boys and five girls, and I suppose he had to learn to be easy-going because he lived with so many women.”
Very protective of his sisters and his younger brother, Anthony, Conor’s family said he was always looking out for them. “He was so good to his younger brothers and sisters,” said Conor’s mum.
“When he got his wages he would have given them some money or taken them out to the cinema.
“He bought his wee sister a karaoke machine for Christmas, and it had to be the biggest one there was.
“He was just like that, he would do anything for you. If he got you something it was always the best, even if it took him a while to save up the money.
“Nothing was a bother to him – I just couldn’t have got a better son,” she added.
Funeral arrangements have not yet been confirmed.
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